Purple & Aqua Crumb Full-Sized Quilt

I machine pieced this quilt on my Bernina 240.

I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.

Finished size: 74" x 90"

(click on photos to enlarge)

✫FINISHED QUILT:✫

Front piecing: This quilt top is made using both Mile a Minute Piecing and Improv Piecing techniques. I used over *1,200* pieces of leftover scrap fabric of all sizes and shapes ("crumbs"), joining them together into 20 individual 12.5" squares to create uniformed sized blocks. Sometimes the process is known as "crumb quilting". I then arranged the completed blocks in a 4x5 grid pattern, adding a 3-D shadow effect to each block and sashing in between and around the blocks.

Back: The backing fabric is 5 yards of a nice purple cotton blender, with a center strip of 7 more 12.5" crumb blocks in both purple and aqua.

Quilt Stitching: I chose an edge-to-edge pattern called Daisy Power.

I used a great thread called "Purple Iris" (So Fine 50 #441) for the front so that there would only be a slight contrast of the quilting on the aqua blocks. 

Then I used a lovely aqua thread called "Glacier" (So Fine 50 #471) on the back to provide greater contrast and visual movement of the stitch pattern.

Label: I embroidered the label directly onto the binding. My favorite way to label a quilt!

✫PROGRESS PHOTOS:✫

Construction-Front:

I dug through my drawers of scrap fabric strips and pieces and pulled out all those I thought I could use in this quilt. Then, using a combination of crumb quilting from both the Mile a Minute Piecing and Improv Piecing techniques, I built 20 - 12.5" squares.

At first I thought I would just arrange all the blocks together, without any sashing. But I felt the impact of all of the tiny pieces in each individual block got lost.

So then I added a 3-D shadow effect to each individual block, and instantly liked the look.

I continued by adding purple sashing between and around all of the blocks to create the full shadow effect.

Quilting:

The back loaded onto my long arm. I was very concerned that the center blocks remained in the center during the quilting process, so several pins were used!

Batting added and then top floating above, ready to be basted and then quilted.

My wonderful Janome QMP18 long arm setup. This is my 68th quilt to be completed since I bought my long arm in 2018.

The 9 rows of edge-to-edge Daisy Power design stitch out beautifully.

Fresh from under the long arm's needle, and I already love the look of the stitching!

Trimming:

Squaring up the quilt after taking it off the long arm, readying it to add the binding.

Label:

Before attaching the machine sewn binding to the quilt, I embroidered a label onto the binding fabric using my Brother PE700 embroidery machine.

Binding:

To frame the quilt, I chose the same solid black used for the shadows as the binding fabric.

First attaching the binding strips to the back of the quilt...

...then wrapping the binding around to the quilt front.

 For precise binding seam sewing, I use my Bernina 240's blind hem foot. 

Washing:

Before gifting, I machine washed the quilt with dye trapping sheets (I use either Color Catchers or Color Grabbers), to absorb some of the purple and blue fabric dyes. The dye trapping sheets were colored gray after the washing, so I know they were effective. 

After washing, the quilt is wrinkly, soft and lovable.

All wrapped up and tied with a bow...ready to be given to its owner.

She loves it!

✫QUILT SUMMARY:✫

I machine pieced this quilt on my Bernina 240.
I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.

Finished size: 74" x 90"

Front piecing: A 4x5 grid of 12.5" blocks built using crumb quilting of both the Mile a Minute Piecing and Improv Piecing techniques, enhanced with a 3-D shadow effect and sashing.

Back: A true purple cotton blender with 7 more 12.5" crumb blocks centered vertically.

Binding: The binding is machine sewn, using solid black cotton fabric.

Quilting: Edge-to-edge repeat of "Daisy Power" pattern. Front stitched with Superior Threads' "Purple Iris" (So Fine 50 #441), and back stitched with "Glacier" (So Fine 50 #471).

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